Dawat-e-Haleem Hosted by Pakistan Club USA Los Angeles
By Wasim Zaidi
In keeping with their tradition of the past 13 years, members of the Pakistan Club USA (formerly Karachi Club) hosted the annual ‘Dawat-e-Haleem’ event at the Garden Grove Park on Sunday, October 28, 2012.
A crowd of about 1,200 Angelinos showed up at the Park to enjoy the Club’s hospitality: The event has become a shining hallmark of the social activities of the Pakistan Club Los Angeles.
Pakistan Club’s in-charge Samin Faruqi and member Central Organizing Committee MQMUSA Wasim Zaidi greeted the guests along with their committed and energetic team comprising Adnan Naqvi, Abdul Lateef, Shahzad Syed, Mohammed Akif, Azeem Durrani, Nabeel Syed, and Mrs Rubina Faruqi.
Addressing the guests, Samin Faruqi and Adnan Naqvi spoke about the right to vote for overseas Pakistanis. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was considering to grant voting rights to more than 4 million Pakistanis who are settled in different countries around the world. However, in October, the Commission decided against this move. While the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) may not think it feasible, the Supreme Court observed that overseas Pakistanis should enjoy voting rights in the next general elections. The overseas Pakistanis are 4 to 5 per cent of the total population. They contribute $12 to $13 billion precious foreign exchange to the national kitty every year. They should have the right to vote. The names of these overseas Pakistanis, they said, should be registered in the voter lists of their respective constituencies. They also said that it was the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan to register their names besides devising a mechanism to give them the right to vote in the general elections.
Outlining the vision of the organization, the members of the Pakistan Club Los Angeles invited every Pakistani to join hands with the Club in rendering services to the community and asked the audience to come forward with their suggestions to enhance the Club’s goals of community outreach. There were several prominent persons who graced the occasion, including Mrs Riffat Masood, Consul General, Consulate General of Pakistan, Los Angeles; Masroor Javed; Zafar Abbas, and Kamal Zafar, former Central Organizer MQMUSA.
Pakistan Club USA, Los Angeles has thanked members of the community for their support and spirited participation in the event.
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